Bicycle pics - post them up - Page 6 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

Bicycle Bob · 08-06-2010, 04:04 PM

Well, they have the speed records, and I could write all day about various applications and trade-offs.

Christopher Jordan · 08-06-2010, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otto

Anybody here have thoughts on front wheel drive recumbents?

My Brike had front wheel drive, but it was lean steered. I boosted up the gears using a Sachs 7 speed internal hub an doubling that with another chain ring and a front derailleur so it had 14 speeds.

It is the one with the trailer (it was cold I guess- furry jacket: "do NOT take my ... " *click*). Excellent acceleration and speed but tight turns were impossible. Not a very useful project, but great to learn what NOT to do with a trike - sold it in about 3 months! So yes; I HAD thoughts, then returned to rear wheel drive.

SanctaRosa · 08-06-2010, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

And the best is the dynamo on the e-wheel to power the lights.

It's actually quite practical. I very rarely ride at night so the dynamo gives me automatic day time running lights that are always on while I'm moving. My feeling was that if I took the lighting supply from the main traction batteries via a switch, the chances of my leaving that switch on and running down the batteries would be enough to make the system too risky for a daydreamer like me.

puddleglum · 08-06-2010, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otto

Anybody here have thoughts on front wheel drive recumbents?

I thought about it as an optional configuration for my son's trike but decided it would be too hard to work out the details on a first project. I really wanted to use a tadpole configuration. A guy in town has a front drive, delta hand cycle that works quite well. Check out this website for "Mike's recumbent trike links" if you haven't already. I think there may be a few on it, can't remember for sure.
Mike's Recumbent Trike Links

Varn · 08-22-2010, 02:05 PM

Here is one of my bikes. It had the mens top speed in the early 90s and the womans top speed in 2005-2009.
I have two varnas right now.

NachtRitter · 08-22-2010, 05:20 PM

Varn - How is the airflow inside of those Varnas?

SanctaRosa · 08-22-2010, 07:25 PM

Wow slinky

Speaking for myself velomobiles are one of those things that give me a thrill and I would love to see them on the road being used more..... BUT with most of them being horribly expensive and being made from unobtainium and many special parts it's not really going to be something that's going to happen any time soon.

Varn · 08-22-2010, 07:32 PM

We try and seal them up as much as possible. The rear wheel has an internal fairing. The steering only has a few degrees of steering. so most air transfer is there. The underside has been notched so that there is no more opening for both wheels than the minimum.

The bike in the photo is the Varna 2 built in about 93. I could get wordy but I documented it at my web site at Veloliner My vehicles are rather large in part because I used them to haul the bike to the races as well as compete myself in regional events.

We raced it at the Nissan test track in Arizona for one hour competition in July. We packed the bike with ice and the rider Rob English about melted.

The bike went 66.6 mph with Lisa Vetterlein pedaling at battle mountain in o5. a year ago the record was eclipsed in the new varna.

My priorities have changed. My second Varna is yet unfinished. I would like to motorize it.

We live in Amish country and must somewhat freak them out when they see what is in our shop.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NachtRitter

Varn - How is the airflow inside of those Varnas?